Barnet: Kenneth Clarke emerged as marginal favourite to win the Tory leadership after a straw poll of Barnet's Tory councillors.

As ballot forms arrive at homes of the borough's estimated 2,000 Tory party members this week, most of the borough's 26 Tory councillors were either unavailable or unwilling to comment. But of the nine Tories who responded to the Times Group poll, six put their faith in the Hush-Puppied Kenneth Clarke to lead them back to power.

John Marshall, councillor for Hampstead Garden Suburb and former MP for Hendon South, thinks Clarke offers the Tories' best chance of regaining their Hendon and Finchley heartlands where two Labour MPs were returned with increased majorities at the last election.

"We need to appeal to the young and we need to appeal to other groups like the Asian community which we failed to do," he said.

"Ken Clarke has made it clear he would have withdrawn the whip from John Townend over his comments and that would've sent the right message to the Asian community.

"I think electors are more concerned about the deplorable state of the Northern Line, the education of their children and the NHS than they are about the future of the EU."

Brian Coleman, Totteridge ward councillor and Greater London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, said: "I'm supporting Clarke and I'm voting for him even though I'm a Euro-sceptic."

Other senior Tories to back Clarke are Sir Sydney Chapman, MP for Chipping Barnet, Friern Barnet ward councillor Brian Salinger, Edgware councillor Anthony Spencer and Golders Green councillor Christopher Harris.

Friern Barnet ward councillor John Tiplady has given his support to Iain Duncan Smith.

Councillor Tiplady said: "I favour Iain Duncan Smith as he's not someone who's the centre of attention and it will be good to have a fresh face. Clarke is a bit old and I don't agree with his stance on the Euro."

The new leader will be elected on September 12.